How Effective Are Your Meetings?

The challenge in many organizations is not just that there are too many meetings, but that there are too many poorly run meetings. As a result people waste time and energy instead of getting “real work” done. Here is a checklist I use in my strategic team building and team development programs as I observe and provide real time coaching. Check it out and see how your team is doing. Structure

  • Did the meeting start on time?
  • Is there a published agenda?
  • Was the agenda sent out ahead of time?
  • Are the most important items on the agenda first?
  • Did people prepare for the meeting? What did they do?

Dialogue and Discussion Dynamics

  • Are all team members engaged and participating?
  • Does the team go beyond information sharing in its dialogue?
  • Do team members challenge each other?
  • Do people express differences of opinions, even when unpopular?
  • Are there repercussions for speaking the truth?

Decision Making Dynamics

  • Is the team focused on agreement or commitment?
  • How does the collective style of the group impact problem solving and decision making?
  • Is the team closing out on decisions?
  • Are decisions and actions summarized at the end of the meeting?
  • Is there a tracking mechanism to monitor decision progress?

General Dynamics of Team

  • Do people generally respect each other, enjoy each others’ presence, act as colleagues?
  • Are there signs of trust – asking for help, offering help, apologizing, being vulnerable?
  • Is the team focused on overall team goals versus individual responsibilities, silos, and egos.
  • What individual team member habits impact conversation (laughing, exaggerated words, body language and reactions, rambling, too manystories/examples, etc.)?

Leader Dynamics

  • What is the leader doing to encourage discussion?
  • What is the leader doing to blunt conversation?

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